Baptiste Shortlisted For Award

Alex Baptiste has been nominated as the potential Championship Player of the Year at the forthcoming Northwest Football Awards.

The 26-year-old defender faces competition from former Burnley striker Jay Rodriguez, who is the other nominee shortlisted for the accolade.

After a year when clubs from the north west have dominated the headlines, with both Manchester clubs battling it out for the 2011/12 Premier League title in one of the most dramatic seasons in living memory, the judges on the panel for the 2012 Northwest Football Awards have completed the difficult task of shortlisting the region’s Player of the Year nominations for the top five divisions.

All supporters who vote for their chosen Player of the Year will also be entered into a free prize draw to win a pair of tickets for the Northwest Football Awards ceremony.

Consisting of professionals across all aspects of the game, including PFA Chairman Gordon Taylor OBE, Editor of FC Business Ryan McKnight and former FA Chief Executive Mark Palios, the panel have announced the finalists that will be competing for various honours at the awards ceremony, which takes place on Monday 12 November at Lancashire County Cricket Club’s ‘The Point’ and will be presented by BBC Sport’s Dan Walker.

The awards also celebrate achievements across all areas of professional clubs – from the Premier League to the Blue Square Premier Division, including the best community initiatives, marketing campaigns and sponsorship engagement.

Special categories on the night will also recognise the Northwest Football Journalist of the Year, Manager of the Year, Goal of the Year, as well as a Lifetime Contribution to Northwest Football and an Unsung Hero Award.

The full shortlists for the divisional Player of the Year awards are as follows: